What would YOU wear if you were invited to a red carpet event? I think about this every year at Oscar time.

  • Strapless or sleeves?
  • Glittery or subdued?
  • Bright or dark?
  • Print or solid?
  • Gauzy or stiff?
  • Sleek or pouffy?

A neckline plunging to my torso? That’s an easy one.

plunging oscar necklines

On the other hand, Kim Kardashian demonstrated at the Elton John after-party that this neckline isn’t off limits to a woman who wears a DD+ bra–she just can’t wear the bra and the dress at the same time.

kim kardashian oscars after party plunging neckline
Do you think she has hidden bra cups sewn into the bodice?

Because I can imagine the challenge of dressing for such an event, you would think that I would be empathetic towards the women arriving on the red carpet. But no. As I was reviewing photos for today’s post, I saw underwear lines and slight bulges on the back of one woman in the background. “She should NOT be wearing that,” I thought.

underwear lines

Then I wondered–is it really that bad? What if a friend of mine were wearing that dress? I’d tell her she looked great and mean it. In any other setting, I’d accept imperfection. With the Oscars, I turn into a catty middle school girl with such unattainable standards that, if I were ever invited to the Academy Awards, I’d be afraid to leave the house.

Fortunately, writing this blog has helped me grow up a little, so with today’s post, I’m not going to criticize anyone. Instead, I’m simply going to post photos of five busty women who successfully negotiated last night’s red carpet. I’m leaving out the women that I feel were unsuccessful this year–we all know what it’s like to wear something that looks matronly on us, or to flatten our boobs to make the dress fit. I wouldn’t wear every gown in these pictures, but I love the variety of styles and of the women wearing them. They may have a large bust size in common, but that’s just about it!

viola davis oscars 2014
Asymmetrical neckline on Viola Davis! Clever diagonal seam and bust dart by Escada.
selma vihunen
Asymmetrical hem on Finnish director Selma Vihunen. Princess seams!
Bette Midler in Reem Acra.
Bette Midler in Reem Acra.
Adriatha Lee with deep neckline, elbow sleeves and a twist knot front.
Adriatha Lee with deep neckline, elbow sleeves and a twist knot front.
Alfre Woodard in Escada, with the most amazing posture. The image on the right shows a little of the cutout sleeves.
Alfre Woodard in Escada, with the most amazing posture. The image on the right shows a little of the cutout sleeves.

Out of curiosity, if you had to choose one of these gowns, which one would you wear on the red carpet, and what, if any, changes would you make to it?